Lose power? Don’t know what food to save and what food to discard? Visit alexandriava.gov/30086 for the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations on what to keep and what to pitch. Visit alexandriava.gov/FoodSafety for other food safety guidance. For updates on City services and announcements concerning the winter storm, visit alexandriava.gov/Snow.

Food facilities must have power, adequate refrigeration, safe water, and hot water to operate. Because storms can disrupt one or all of these things, the Environmental Health Division has provided the following guidance to food facilities on how to respond to, or cleanup after, a power outage or flooding. Remember, food that is out of temperature or contaminated by flood water, debris or the elements must be discarded. When in doubt, throw it out!

World TB Day is March 24. TB
is one of the world's deadliest diseases. It is estimated that one out of every
three people in the world is infected with the bacterium that causes TB. Each
year, 9 million people around the world get sick and 1.5 million people die
from TB. While great strides have been made to control and cure TB, people
still get sick and die from this disease, even in the United States. Increase
your awareness by learning more about TB: do it for your health, do it for your
family.

The Alexandria Health Department is pleased to
announce that the City of Alexandria’s 2013 teen pregnancy rate has dropped nearly
20% percent to 24.8 pregnancies per 1,000 females aged 10-19 years. The 2012
rate was 30.9. This marks the lowest overall teen pregnancy rate in Alexandria
in more than 17 years and is a reflection of the hard work and collaboration of
a number of City agencies and community partners.

Measles is a serious illness
caused by the measles virus. It is spread very easily from person to person and
can cause outbreaks of illness. Although the disease is rare in the United
States it is still common in many countries, and recent outbreaks around the
country have occurred. The vast majority of people who catch measles have not been
vaccinated. Please check your household immunization records and
make sure every eligible member of your family is fully vaccinated. Check
the following link for easy-to-read vaccination schedules, for every age: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/index.html. For more information and
resources on measles, click here.

Click here for periodic updates regarding Ebola virus disease (also known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

Are you pregnant or a new parent of a child under the age of two? Want to learn more about, or receive, health services from expert Public Health Nurses? Click here to learn more about the BabyCare program available through the Health Department.

Suffocation is the leading cause of death for infants. The majority of
these incidents occur in the sleeping environment, often when babies are placed
face down on a soft surface. Infants who are 0 to 4 months old don't have
enough strength to lift their heads and turn their faces so that they can
breathe and have the greatest risk of suffocating.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is one of many non-polio enteroviruses that causes respiratory illness. Protect yourself and your loved ones by 1) Covering your cough, 2) Washing your hands, and 3) Staying home when sick. The Alexandria Health Department and Virginia Department of Health, along with other public health agencies, are closely monitoring reports of severe respiratory illness.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness
first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. So far, all cases have been linked to
countries in and near the Arabian Peninsula. About 30% of people confirmed to have
MERS infection have died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
maintain up-to-date information on the virus, its spread and best practices for
prevention.

We have expanded our Immunization Clinics to better serve our community and have a new schedule. It’s time to get ready to go back to school, which means gathering supplies and back packs… and making sure vaccinations are up to date. Immunizations are an important, and easy, way to protect your child’s health! Vaccinations to be aware about now include:

Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) vaccination – required by State law for rising sixth grade students

Based on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) analysis of reported post-cleaning air sampling results, the concentrations of asbestos in the air in the Hunting Point Apartments are not high enough to harm the health of people who breathe this air for short or long (e.g., 30 years) periods of time. ATSDR is part of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among Americans, claiming more than twice as many lives each year as homicides. Learn more about this serious public health problem and what we can do to help prevent suicide.

We have expanded Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic to better serve our Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community. Our Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic was started to provide Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Same-Gender Loving Men a safe place to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. The high incidence of early Syphilis and new HIV infections in the gay, bisexual, trans, and queer community make testing a priority to get people into treatment and reduce the spread of infection.For a schedule of clinics and servicesclick here. Call or text: 571.214.9617

The Alexandria Health
Department is excited to announce the launch of a city-wide Healthy Vending
Initiative and Healthy Vending Administrative Regulation! New energy efficient
machines with a variety of healthy snacks and beverages are available in City of
Alexandria buildings and departments.

Did you ever wonder how your favorite Alexandria restaurant did on its latest food safety inspection? Now it is even easier to find out! Just use your smart phone to scan the new Health Department sticker on the doors of participating restaurants. Don’t have a smart phone? We got you covered. Visit www.alexva.us/as3 for the same easy access.

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects many Americans. It can lead to an increased risk of bone fractures of the hips, spine, and wrists. Find out if you are at risk for osteoporosis and what you can do to prevent it.

A key to healthy people and healthier communities is wellness in the first year of life (including prenatal care). Healthy birth outcomes and early recognition and treatment of health problems in infants contribute to children reaching their full potential and can prevent death or disability among the most vulnerable in our community. To access recent Public Health Indicators of Prenatal and Infant Wellness in Alexandria click here.

ConnectVirginia is Virginia’s Statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). A video is now available to introduce the Health Information Exchange and to explain the benefits of secure, electronic exchange of health information for patients and providers across the Commonwealth.

Hookah smoking is rapidly gaining in popularity as a social activity. Hookah users inhale tobacco smoke that passes through a water-filled chamber. Teens and young adults are among the largest groups of users. But did you know that hookah use is more dangerous than cigarette smoking?

Do you still need health coverage? Have insurance through the Marketplace, but recently got married, had a child, or experienced another life changing event? Do you qualify for Medicaid or FAMIS and want to enroll? The Health Insurance Marketplace is the place to go for Virginians! Learn whether you qualify for a special enrollment period, how to update your existing account, or find out more about the Affordable Care Act (the law that has made the Marketplace possible). Visit www.HealthCare.gov and join the over 215,000 Virginians already enrolled for the 2014 plan year.

Many people think pertussis (or “whooping cough”) no longer exists. Actually, it remains a poorly controlled illness. How can you protect yourself and your loved ones from this very contagious illness? The best way to prevent pertussis is to get vaccinated with the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) vaccine.

Immunizations are important for everyone — from infants to seniors. Vaccines protect you and your loved ones from serious diseases and keep our community healthy. Protect yourself, your loved ones and our community - be wise, immunize! View the current recommended immunization schedule here.

The Alexandria Health Department is closed to the public on Thursday mornings, 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., for internal administrative functions and staff development. The other days of the week, the Health Department will be open during its usual business hours. For further information, call 703.746.4996.